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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26055664">Unquestionable Support</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion'>Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Law &amp; Order: SVU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode: s16e16 December Solstice, Except Catalina lives bitches, Get Together, M/M, Mentions of past abuse, Soulmates, Teleportation</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:40:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,794</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26055664</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Soulmates can teleport to their partner in a time of need, and Rafael's grandmother falling again certainly counts.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Barisi Soulmate Bingo</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Unquestionable Support</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rafael tries not to panic when he sees the ambulance outside of his <em>Abuelita</em>'s building. The text from his mother (I need you at your grandmother's. NOW.) had worried him some, but she'd sent that same text for any number of reasons in the past, and he'd convinced himself it wasn't anything serious. </p>
<p>But. </p>
<p>He gets out of the Lyft and hurries to the front of the building, ignoring the cold of the day stinging his face. It's easy to spot his mother in the lobby. She's dead center, staring up the stairwell, and now Rafael can't deny that whatever's happening, it's definitely serious.</p>
<p>"Mami--" is as far as he gets before there's a sound of whooshing air, and then Detective Sonny Carisi is next to him, blinking owlishly and clutching a rosary in his right hand. </p>
<p>"What the absolute fu--Barba?!" </p>
<p>"Wait," Rafael says, holding up his hand to Carisi. He turns back to his mother. "<em>Mami</em>, what's happening?" He sighs when his mother simply gapes at Carisi. "<em>Mami</em>," he says again, and this time she looks at him and snaps out of it.</p>
<p>"Your grandmother fell again," she says, one hand reaching out to grab Rafael's forearm. "When the neighbors went to help her up, she couldn't stand. She said it was her hip."</p>
<p>"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Carisi says. "My <em>Nonna</em> broke her hip a few years back from falling at home, too."</p>
<p>Rafael looks at Carisi. "I'm in the middle of something," he snaps.</p>
<p>Carisi looks down at himself, then at Rafael, "Yeah, and it looks like I'm literally destined to be here, so maybe let me show some fucking sympathy, huh?" He turns to Lucia and gives her an apologetic smile. "I apologize for my language, ma'am. Kind of weirded out by the moment."</p>
<p>"Which part? The teleportation, or that you're the poor soul who has to put up with my son for the rest of your life?"</p>
<p>"A bastion of support," Rafael mutters. His mother rolls her eyes, dismissing the comment. </p>
<p>"I'm Lucia. And you are?"</p>
<p>"Dominick Carisi, Jr., but please call me Sonny."</p>
<p>"Sonny," Lucia says, cutting Rafael a quick, amused look. "Tell me, do you know my son at all?"</p>
<p>"We work together," Sonny says. "But only for a few months. I just transferred to Manhattan SVU a little while ago. Still getting my feet under me, but Rafael's been a real help."</p>
<p>Rafael manages to stop himself from laughing. 'Help' is not the word he'd choose to describe his reactions to Carisi so far. There's a rattle and a shout from the stairwell, and Rafael looks around his mother to see what's going on. "I think they're bringing her down," he says. </p>
<p>Lucia turns and walks to the stairwell, staying to one side so the paramedics can get through. The moment she can see her mother, they start arguing in Spanish. Rafael can't help a quiet laugh. </p>
<p>"So, I'm guessing she's probably okay save for the hip," Carisi says. </p>
<p>"Yes," Rafael replies. He looks at Carisi and sees him tucking away his rosary. "I'm guessing we pulled you out of Mass."</p>
<p>"Yeah. I was--Oh, shit, hold on." Carisi pats himself down and pulls his cell from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. He unlocks his phone and taps out a quick message. "Okay. Sorry. Just realized I should probably text my ma so she knows what happened. She'll tell the others."</p>
<p>Rafael doesn't answer. He's distracted by the paramedics coming forward with his <em>abuelita</em>. She has an oxygen tube, and she's strapped to the gurney. She's scowling as Lucia continues to talk to her in Spanish, but she gives Rafael a small wave as if to say everything is fine. </p>
<p>"Rafael?" his mother calls over her shoulder.</p>
<p>"Text me which hospital," Rafael replies. "I'll meet you there." </p>
<p>Lucia blows a kiss without missing a step, following the paramedics and her mother to the ambulance to ride along. </p>
<p>"Do you want me to come?" Sonny asks before Rafael can turn towards him. "Not because I'm your soulmate. Just...your mom seems nice--"</p>
<p>Rafael laughs without meaning to. "No, she does not." He looks at Sonny and sees him biting back a smile, though it still shows in his eyes. "I love my mother, but don't lie to me. She has never seemed nice to anyone. Not even her students."</p>
<p>Sonny chuckles and ducks his head. "Okay. Well, I'm sorry I didn't sell that. I'm usually good at that sort of polite lie."</p>
<p>Rafael snorts. "Maybe it's because you're my soulmate. Apparently."</p>
<p>"Hey, I'm as surprised as you," Carisi replies. "But--for the record--I'm not disappointed."</p>
<p>"No?"</p>
<p>"No," Carisi says with the sort of surety that Rafael's always appreciated. "But we'll talk about it later. Let's get to the hospital and check on your <em>Nonna</em>."</p>
<p>"<em>Abuela</em>," Rafael corrects. Just because the teleportation tells him Carisi's his soulmate doesn't mean he's going to tell Carisi he actually calls her <em>Abulelita</em>.</p>
<p>"Let's go check on your <em>Abuela</em>," Carisi replies, gesturing towards the door. </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Two hours into waiting at the hospital, Rafael has to admit--if only to himself--that he can see how Carisi could be good for him in the long term. Every time Rafael is about to lose his temper at his mother or a doctor or a nurse, Carisi intercepts and thanks the staff for their updates or shows Rafael's mother photos of his extended family while answering her intrusive questions. </p>
<p>"You don't have to actually answer her questions," Rafael says as he and Carisi make a coffee run to the shop in the hospital lobby. "You can tell her no."</p>
<p>"I don't mind," Carisi replies with a shrug. "I mean, she just wants to know about my family and my background. That's easy stuff."</p>
<p>"Is it?" Rafael asks before he can stop himself. </p>
<p>"For me, yeah," Carisi replies, cutting Rafael a quick, knowing grin. "I don't expect other people to be as open, if that helps. And judging from the way your mom keeps shifting the conversation to me, I'm thinking it does help."</p>
<p>Rafael doesn't answer right away. He's a bit shocked at how easily Carisi has read his mother and her actions. Rafael knows all her tricks, of course, but they've had a lifetime of pretending everything is fine. "What <em>do</em> you want to know about me?" he asks as they get into line at the coffee shop.</p>
<p>Carisi shrugs again. "I dunno. I mean, I've always wanted to meet my soulmate, but I never really planned what I would ask. And even if I had a list, I wouldn't be bringing it up now. I mean, your grandma's in surgery. I'm not a dick."</p>
<p>Rafael laughs. Yet again, Carisi's surprised it out of him. "Honestly, she'll probably love you on sight."</p>
<p>"Your grandma? Really?" Carisi asks. "I'm honored."</p>
<p>"Why?" Rafael asks.</p>
<p>"You clearly love her, and I saw her as they took her out of the building. She wasn't worried about your mother lecturing her, and she waved to you. I've only known your mother for a couple of hours, but I've known you a few months, and the whole vibe your grandma gives off definitely exists in both of you."</p>
<p>Rafael stares at Carisi, but Carisi doesn't notice. He's checking out the menu hanging behind the counter like he hasn't just said something really fucking important. Carisi's easy read on his grandmother--and by association, his mother--is the one thing he's always known he'll require of his soulmate. Whatever prickly feelings he has with his mother, Rafael is well aware--thanks in no small part to good therapy--that she loves him exactly as he is and that she did her very best in some very terrible circumstances. He'd told her so once, and she'd stiffened in surprise and then ordered him to never repeat it. He understands her refusal to accept his understanding. It's hard to feel someone else's appreciation for doing the best in the worst circumstances when part of doing your best means keeping someone else--especially your own child--in an abusive household. But to get away from his father could have led to a lot worse. Not just monetarily, but in the very real possibility his father would track them down and hurt them worse.</p>
<p>"What do you think of my mother?" Rafael asks, just to be sure. </p>
<p>"She's tough," Carisi replies, glancing away from the menu to meet Rafael's gaze like he understands it's important to do so. "She was also clearly delighted that I popped up like I did, which means she cares about you a lot. And you were in your grandmother's building because you care, too, I bet."</p>
<p>"I was," Rafael agrees. </p>
<p>"And she appreciates it," Carisi says. "I could see it. Every time she looked at you, she relaxed a little."</p>
<p>Rafael stares at Carisi for a moment, then grabs him by the elbow and yanks him out of line and then out the door of the coffee shop.</p>
<p>"Did I--"</p>
<p>"Shut up," Rafael says, maneuvering Carisi until they're two shopfronts down and standing in front of the window of an empty building. He presses his back against the window and grips his other hand around Carisi's other elbow. "Kiss me," he orders.</p>
<p>"I--"</p>
<p>"Look, I'm sure you have a whole paragraph prepped about the first kiss between soulmates and not taking it lightly and respecting that the first teleportation generally happens without any conscious effort on either side and is, therefore, not reliable for any proof of long term feelings, but I don't fucking care. You--"</p>
<p>"For the record, it's three paragraphs," Carisi interrupts. "But I've also had a crush on you since the first time you walked into the squad room, and if you want to kiss me, I want to kiss you."</p>
<p>Rafael grips Carisi's lapels in his hands and tugs him down to meet him in a kiss. There's a white-hot flash of perfection up his spine and behind his eyelids. Carisi's hands cupping his face feel like a touch of cool water to a parched tongue, and the way he pulls away with a series of smaller kisses to brush his nose against Rafael's feels like happily signing a mutually beneficial contract with someone he trusts without question. </p>
<p>"<em>Abuelita</em>," Rafael says when Carisi--Sonny--stops kissing him but only pulls back enough so they can see each other's faces. "I've always called her <em>Abuelita</em>."</p>
<p>"Thank you for telling me," Sonny says.</p>
<p>Rafael wants to tease him for such a choir boy answer, but his heart tightens at how perfect it is--Sonny's appreciation that Rafael has shared something personal--and so he pulls him into a second kiss instead.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Beta by M, my very favorite fish. </p>
<p>Fic as part of the Soulmates Bingo Card from Barisi Fandom Events.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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